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Avoiding eye fatigue

Our kids are growing up in a world that’s highly visually stimulating – and that can take its toll in the form of eyestrain or fatigue.

It used to be, back in the more analogue days, that younger kids didn’t really suffer from eye fatigue but with screens in all their shapes and sizes such a dominant part of both school and social lives, more and more kids are suffering the symptoms.

Detecting eye fatigue in an adult is usually quite easy – older people have the language skills and understanding of their own behaviour to help in diagnosis. However, it can prove to be more difficult to diagnose it in young children.

Studies suggest that about one in four school-age children actually need eye glasses or some vision help – and often their vision issues are exacerbated by fatigue. The impact this can have on their learning and even on in-class behaviour can be enormous.

Symptoms and causes

Any activity requiring intense use of the eyes can cause eye fatigue. Melbourne optometrist Tim Fricke*, who specialises in paediatric optometry, says it used to be mainly 'bookworm' kids who may have read for long periods of time, and possibly not always in the best light, who were usually being assessed for fatigue by optometrists.

But with the exponential growth in the use of digital devices from phones and tablets to computers and hand-held games, the patient make-up is changing, and possibly getting a bit younger.

“It used to be it was older kids, often over 12, who just loved reading who would be coming in for a consult. Now they’re younger and when I ask them if they read a lot and they may never pick up a book but they’re spending hours on video games,” Tim says.

Research has found that people tend to hold smartphones closer than they would a book or newspaper, forcing their eyes to work harder than usual. This closer distance coupled with the smaller fonts could put added strain on eyes, researchers say. Authors of the 2011 study said that the fact that people are holding the devices at close distances means that the eyes have to work that much harder to focus on the print and to have their eyes pointed in the right direction. This means eyes are having to work harder, leading to strain.

Tim adds: “When children spend long periods of time focusing on something held close like a book or screen, then the muscles that help the eyes focus become fatigued. It can be hard work constantly focusing hard to send a clear picture back to the brain.”

Prevention

To prevent or relieve eyestrain, make changes to how children use their eyes. Ensure they have regular breaks from intense focusing whether on books or digital devices. And, suggests Tim, send them outside. At least their field of vision will be deeper – and instead of looking at something 20cm away, they might focus on an object 20 metres away.

If symptoms persist after interventions, see an optometrist for an eye check-up. Your child’s eyestrain may be related to an underlying condition such as myopia, a lazy eye or other issues requiring treatment.